Scissors



- Dec. 26, 1939. A A, C OMPT N 2,184,909

SCISSORS Filed Sept. 17, 1956 3 Sheetsi-Sheet 2 l'\ J\. CTOmMTcTl By 4/24 2 i 1939- A. A. CROMPTON 2,184,909

SCISSORS Filed Sept. 17, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A. A. Cr omyto Patented Dec. 26, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,184,909 sorssons Abraham Alexander Ci'omptonQnear Uttoxeter,

' Stafiordshire, England Application September 17, 1936, Serial No. 101,307

In Great Britain September 17, 1935 1 Claim. (01. 30-256 This invention relates to scissors, shears and like shearing instruments, of the type comprising a pair of hinged blade members crossing one another at the hinge, and provided with shanks cranked or thickened to be in substantially the same plane and having bows to embrace respectively the thumb and a finger or fingers of the hand, the main object of the invention being,

to the upper bow, ison the left and the upper blade, which is attached to the lower bow, is on the right, so that the left blade and upper bow are operated by the thumb and the right blade and lower bow are operated by a finger or fingers. The bows are frequentlyshaped to fit comfortably the thumb and fingers of the right hand, for which purpose the interior surfaces of the bows are inclined to the blade members, those of the upper bow extending forwardly and to the left from the rear right side. Alternatively, in some cases the bows have been shaped to fit the thumb and finger of'the left hand in instruments with the lower blade and upper bow on the right for use in the left hand.

It is, in general, rather awkwardto operate with the left hand an instrument pivoted and designed for use with the right hand, because the natural squeezing'action of the fingers and thumb in this case-tends to causethe blades to separate, instead of urging them together as when operating the instrument with the hand for which it is pivoted.

According to the present invention the two blades of scissors, shears or like shearing instruments of the type referred to (which are not reversible) are pivoted together in the manner usual for operation by one hand, for example the right hand, one blade is provided with a bow shaped to fit the thumb of the other hand, for example the left hand, and the other blade with one, two or more bows or gripping surfaces adapted to receive the finger or fingers of that other hand. The gripping surfaces may be probows-may be separated by such a webof su stantial width adjacent to the shank.

- In some cases the finger bow may be closed.

by a thimble-like web or framework.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a pair of scissors according to'the present invention.

Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, are sectional views drawn to an enlarged scale and respectively taken on the line 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, and 6-6 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows indicated. Figure 7 is an elevation of a modification.

Figures 8,9, 10, 11, and 12, are sectional views drawn to an enlarged scale and respectively taken on the lines 8-8, 9-9, Ill-l0, lI-I I, and I2-l2 of Figure 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows indicated.

Figure 13 is an elevation of another modification.

Figures 14, 15, 16, 1'7, and 18 are sectional- 22 horizontal and the points away from-the ob server (and throughout the following descrip.-. tion it is assumed that the instrument is'held in this position), the lower blade 20, which is attached by the shank 23 to the upper bow 24,

is on the left and the upper blade 2!, which is attached by the shank 25 to the lower bow 26, is on the right so that the left blade 20 and upper bow 24 are operated by the thumb and the right blade 2| and lower bow 26 are operated by a finger or fingers. The shanks 23 and 25 are cranked or thicker than the blades in the usual manner to bring the bows 24 and 26 into substantially the same plane.

The upper bow 24 is shaped to fit the left thumb and the lower bow 26 is shaped to fit a finger of the left hand. Preferably, as shown, the lower shank 25 is provided with a second bow 21 which is also shaped to fit a finger of the left hand.

In general this shaping of the bows 24, 26, and 21, is such that the openings on theleft into which the left thumb and fingers are iniii serted are of greater extent than the openings on the right through which the left thumb and fingers project.

In particular the interior surfaces 28 of the thumb bow 24 are of substantial width and are shaped to receive the ball of the left thumb on.

sides as indicated at 29 and 30 respectively in Figures 6 and to provide bearing and gripping surfaces for the balls or sides of the second and index fingers of the left hand. These two bows 26 and 27 are also shaped as indicated at 3| and 32 respectively to fit the knuckles, or parts of the fingers adjacent thereto, of the left hand. Thus, a pushing action may easily be applied by the first two fingers of the left hand to urge the bows 25 and 2'! away from the palm of the hand and, by this pushing action in conjunction with the action of the thumb in pulling the bow 24 towards the palm of the hand, the two blades 20 and 2! may be pressed and held in contact with one another during the whole operation of closing the scissors.

A web 33 of substantial width adjacent to the shank 25 is provided between the bows 26 and 21 and the surface of this web, which is visible in Figure 1, provides a gripping surface for the -ball of the index finger when the scissors are used in the right hand. Similarly the surface of the web 33 on the opposite side to that shown in Figure 1 provides a gripping surface for the ball of the index finger of the left hand.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 7 to 12 inclusive the thumb bow 24 is provided with interior surfaces 34 which are of substantial width and are designed to fit the left thumb in a similar manner to that previously described with reference to the surface 28 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The end of the bow remote from the points is, however, also shaped as shown at 35 in Figure 9 to fit the right thumb.

The finger bow 28 shown in Figures 7, and 12 is shaped to fit the second finger of the left hand, being provided with interior surfaces 29 and 3! to bear comfortably on the ball or side and on the parts of that finger adjacent to its knuckle.

Between the bow 26 and pivot 22 a gripping surface 36 is provided on the shank 25, for the ball or side of the index finger of the left hand. This gripping surface 36 is extended as shown at 31 on a boss or protuberance 38 projecting from the shank 25.

A further gripping surface for the ball or side of the index finger of the left hand is provided at 39 on the exterior of the bow 26 and on a boss 4!] projecting therefrom.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 13 to 18 inclusive the gripping surface for the thumb of the left hand provided on the inner or shank side of the bow 24 is provided with grooves 4! to enable a better grip to be obtained. Similarly the gripping surface 29, on the shank side of the bow 26, is provided with grooves or'chequers 42 to increase the grip obtained by the second finger of the left hand.

The gripping surface 36 for the side of the index finger of the left hand is formed onthe side of the shank 25 and may be continued partially round the shank by grooves as indicated at 43. I

The gripping surface for the ball or end of the index finger of the left hand on the exterior of the bow 26 is provided with grooves 44 and is continued in a hollowed projection or web 45 at the junction of the bow 26 with the shank 25.

Although the bows and gripping surfaces of the scissors herein described and illustrated are specially designed for manipulation by the left hand, nevertheless operation of the instrument by the right hand is not adversely affected since, even though the bows may not fit the fingers of that hand sowell, the action is more natural and is not impeded. i

What I claim is:

In scissors, a pair of blades having shanks, means pivotally connecting the blades, said shanks having mating bows and one of said shanks having an additional bow of the same size as and disposed forwardly of the first mentioned bow on said shank, said last mentioned bows being connected by a web, all of said bows having their inner surfaces rounded so as to conveniently receive the thumb and fingers, the first mentioned bow on the shank opposite the shank carrying two bows having its inner sur face also chamfered to conveniently receive the thumb of either hand and the forwardly disposed bow being chamfered to conveniently receive the forefinger of either hand so that the scissors may be operated from either hand.

ABRAHAM ALEXANDER CROMPTON. 

